X Mangave plant named ‘Tooth Fairy’

ABSTRACT

A new and unique X Mangave plant named ‘Tooth Fairy’ characterized by a compact mound of thick, lanceolate, glaucous foliage. Marginal and apical spines long and slightly flexible changing colors from yellow to orange and cinnamon brown with maturity. Teeth and spines leave impression on upper and lower leaves. The new plants is suitable for the garden landscape or as a potted plant in the garden or around the home.

Botanical classification: intergeneric hybrid; x Mangave times Agave.

Variety denomination: ‘Tooth Fairy’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct X Mangave hybridplant, X Mangave ‘Tooth Fairy’ hybridized by the inventor at a wholesaleperennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA as cross between a proprietaryunreleased non-patented X Mangave ‘Bloodspot’ (not patented) as thefemale or seed parent times a selection of Agave shawii (not patented)as the male or pollen parent. The cross was performed on the Dec. 15,2011 and seeds were harvested Apr. 1, 2012 and sown later on Aug. 8,2012. Through trials at the same nursery the plant was originallyassigned the breeder code XMANG-12-7-41. The new plant has beensuccessfully asexually propagated initially by division at the samenursery in Zeeland, Mich. and also by sterile shoot-tip tissue culture.Both methods of asexual propagation systems have been found to producestable and identical plants that maintain all the unique characteristicsof the original plant.

No plants of X Mangave ‘Tooth Fairy’ have been sold, under this or anyname, in this country or anywhere in the world, prior to the filing ofthis application, nor has any disclosure of the new plant been madeprior to the filing of this application with the exception of that whichwas disclosed or sold within one year of the filing of this application,and was either derived directly or indirectly from the inventor.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

X Mangave ‘Tooth Fairy’ differs from its parents as well as all otherManfreda, Agave and X Mangave known to the applicant. Compared with thefemale parent the habit of the new plant is more compact with moreupright foliage, the foliage is shorter and broader, the foliagecoloration is more glaucous blue without greyed purple spotting and thefoliage has larger and stiffer marginal and apical spines. Compared withthe male parent the new plant has more bluish foliage, longer moreorange to brown colored marginal and apical spines. The most similarknown cultivars are X Mangave ‘Silver Fox’ U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 15/732,109 and X Mangave ‘Catch a Wave’ U.S. Plant patentapplication Ser. No. 15/732,107. Compared with ‘Silver Fox’ the newplant longer more orange to brown colored marginal and apical spines andlacks the greyed-purple spotting. Compared with ‘Catch a Wave’ the newplant has shorter, broader, less coarsely sinuate foliage with larger,less flexible and more orange to brown colored marginal and apicalspines and the foliage is more glaucous and lacks the greyed-purplespotting.

The new plant, ‘Tooth Fairy’, is unique from each of the above cultivarsand all Agave, X Mangave and Manfreda known to the inventor by thefollowing combined traits:

-   -   1. Compact mound of thick, lanceolate foliage with glaucous        surfaces;    -   2. Marginal and apical spines are long and slightly flexible,        changing colors as leaves mature;    -   3. Teeth and spines on leaves leave impression on upper and        lower leaves above or below from when tightly compressed in        shoot tip;    -   4. Moderate growth rate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawing of x Mangave ‘Tooth Fairy’ demonstrates the overallappearance of a three-year-old plant grown in a container in agreenhouse with supplemental water and fertilizer as needed. The colorsare as accurate as reasonably possible with color reproductions. Ambientlight spectrum, temperature, source and direction may cause theappearance of minor variation in color.

FIG. 1 shows the new plant habit grown in a container.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the apical and margin spines and also theimpression of the spines left on the leaves.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2015edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wherecommon dictionary terms are used. The new plant, X Mangave ‘ToothFairy’, has not been observed under all possible environments. Thephenotype may vary slightly with different environmental conditions,such as temperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, butwithout any change in the genotype. The following observations and sizedescriptions are of a three-year-old plant in a commercial wholesalegreenhouse in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer asneeded.

-   Parentage: X Mangave ‘Bloodspot’ as female (seed) patent and Agave    shawii as male (pollen) parent;-   Propagation: Division of side shoots and sterile shoot-tip tissue    culture;-   Time to initiate roots from tissue culture: About 21 days;-   Growth rate: Moderate;-   Crop time: About 14 to 18 weeks to finish in a 3.8 liter container    from a 35 mm tissue culture growing at about 21° C.;-   Rooting habit: Fleshy, lightly branching, with roots up to 15 cm    long;-   Root color: Variable depending on grow activity, and soil; between    nearest RHS NN155C and RHS 161C;-   Plant shape and habit: Succulent, frost-tender, herbaceous perennial    with basal rosettes of about 40 thick leaves radially emerging    outwardly and upwardly from central stem, producing a    radially-symmetrical, rounded mound;-   Plant size: Foliage height about 30.0 cm tall from soil line to the    top of the leaves and 35.5 cm to 43.0 cm wide at the widest point    slightly above soil line in container;-   Foliage description: Lanceolate; simple; margins dentate with    slightly-flexible spines; thick; lightly glaucous abaxial and    adaxial; glabrous abaxial and adaxial; teeth about 1.0 mm long and    spaced average about 10 mm apart with slightly-flexible, flexuose to    curved spines to about 7.0 mm long; apex acute with flexible    terminal spine to about 26.5 mm long; truncate sessile base;-   Leaf size: To about 16.0 cm long, about 5.7 cm wide approximately    two-thirds toward apex; and about 12.0 mm thick at base; average    about 14.5 cm long, 4.8 cm wide and 10.0 mm thick;-   Foliage fragrance: None observed;-   Leaf blade color:    -   -   Adaxial (young).—Blend between RHS 188A and RHS 122A with            impression marks from marginal spines nearest RHS 139A;            Abaxial (young): blend between RHS 188C and RHS 122A with            impression marks from marginal spines nearest RHS N138A.        -   Adaxial (lower and more mature).—Blend between RHS 136B and            RHS 137D; Abaxial (lower and more mature): nearest RHS            N138D.        -   Teeth.—Variable, beginning nearest RHS 162D, transitioning            through nearest RHS 163B, RHS 170A and RHS 178A, maturing            nearest RHS 200B.        -   Apical spines.—Nearest RHS 178A as maturing and nearest RHS            200B when mature.-   Petiole: Leaves sessile;-   Veins: Parallel; not distinct abaxial or adaxial;-   Flower description: Not yet observed;-   Fruit and seed not observed;-   Disease resistance: X Mangave ‘Tooth Fairy’ has not been observed to    be resistant to diseases beyond that which is normal for X Mangave,    Agave or Manfreda. The new plant is xeromorphic and survives well    with minimal water once established. The new plant is hardy to least    USDA zone 10. Full extent of winter hardiness has not been tested.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of ornamental X Mangave plant named ‘Tooth Fairy’ as herein described and illustrated. 